USA: Japanese barley buyers to visit Montana barley producers

Nine high-ranking officials with Japanese national feed barley and processing firms are visiting Montana this week, with stops planned in Great Falls, Choteau, Collins and the Dutton area, The Billings Gazette posted August 02.

The Montana Wheat and Barley Committee will host the buyers, who will be escorted by U.S. Grains Council officials.

The group will meet with producers and Montana State University researchers at the committee's office in Great Falls. They also will tour a feedlot in Choteau, visit the 110-car shuttle train loading facility at Collins, tour farms in the Dutton area, and meet with U.S. grain industry representatives.

"The main objective for the team is to expand U.S. feed barley sales under Japan's Simultaneous Buy-Sell program, the method used to import grain and sell it to end users," said Kim Falcon, executive vice president of the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee.

"This trip will introduce Japanese barley importers to Montana barley varieties and updated research on barley," Falcon said. "This is a great opportunity to exchange information about quality and production."

02 August, 2006